


The Tom Foolery Heist of Whitechapel

by Corpyburd



Series: Leman Street Shorts [1]
Category: Ripper Street
Genre: Detectives, Drama, Gen, Heist, Investigations, London, Murder, Police, Robbery, Victorian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-03
Updated: 2019-11-03
Packaged: 2021-01-20 21:01:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21288119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corpyburd/pseuds/Corpyburd
Summary: When a jewellery heist goes wrong in Whitechapel Inspector Reid is on the case.
Relationships: Edmund Reid/Original Character(s)
Series: Leman Street Shorts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1536556
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	The Tom Foolery Heist of Whitechapel

Chief Inspector Reid shook the excess rain from his black umbrella and rolled it neatly shut.

As he entered 78 Fairclough Street in Whitechapel, he turned his head towards the view further down the road - his own home. Then lifted his eyes to the 2 constables who stood at the front door of the elderly Doctor and his wife.

Doctor Ellis sat on a wooden fiddleback chair, nursing a angry split lip and black eye. He immediately stood up as Reid entered his kitchen while the inspector removed his raincoat. "Please sit down." Insisted Edmund. "We are old neighbours are we not?"

Reid's gaze was immediately drawn to the body of a dead man that lay on the kitchen table. 

"One of the armed raiders?” Edmund Reid inquired pointing, as he looked to the Doctor then to his wife, handing his damp coat to another officer. They both nodded in silence.

Reid examined the corpse on the table. Not long dead he thought. Bullet to the side with large exit wound at the back. A second bullet hitting the main artery on the left leg, meant this man had bled out quickly.

“The other 2 – fled?” Reid responded, flipping open his notebook to write, following a trail of blood from the table to the kitchen floor. 

"Yes.” His wife answered bringing over fresh boiled water in a bowl to clean her husbands face. 

“You know they were the armed gang from a Jewellery heist on Whitechapel Road?” Reid announced. 

“We know now.” groaned Doctor Ellis removing the bloodied muslin cloth from his lip. "They hammered on my door Inspector, thought it was someone pretty sick. When I opened it they shoved a pistol in my ribs and dragged their accomplice in.” 

Reid pointed to the man on the table again. Ellis nodded. “He was half dead when they brought him. I told them there was nothing I could do. And got this for that remark!” he said sadly, pointing to his battered face. 

“He ...” pointing to the dead man “... was the one clutching the gemstone bag?” asked Reid.

“It was covered in blood and fluids from his wounds.” The Doctor answered. “And they asked Martha to wash its contents, put it in a fresh bag.” 

“You'd think most criminals would be used to blood and guts. The shop manager informed us the security guard fired 2 shots.” Said Reid. “Do you know how much they go away with?” He went on.

The Doctor and his wife began to laugh. “Tell us Inspector?”

Reid looked at them both curiously. “£30,000 in diamonds, rubies and sapphires.” He lamented.

Martha handed Reid a small linen bag. As he opened it he gave out a low gasp.

“But how? He hastened. "How do you have this?”

“When they got Martha to wash their loot and put it in a fresh bag, she switched it.” 

“So what will our heist men find when they open their bag, Mrs Ellis?” Reid asked looking confused.

“A bag of old gallstones.” Martha replied, grinning fiendishly.

**Author's Note:**

> Tom Foolery slang for Jewellery


End file.
